


Dinner plans

by Truthwritaslies



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2016-09-12
Packaged: 2018-08-14 18:17:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8024089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Truthwritaslies/pseuds/Truthwritaslies
Summary: Steve wants to be better for Tony. Tony just wants Steve.





	Dinner plans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [trilliath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/trilliath/gifts).



> I own no publicly recognized properties and make no money off of this.

Tony knows that somewhere out there he's got sex tapes floating around. That's what happens when you're famous and too fucked up and too drunk to not pretend you don't care. 

He'd thought maybe that was it. The reason Steve's so gun shy around him and hell, maybe that's just his own ego talking. For someone who hates himself so much Tony knows people think he's got a hell of an ego. 

But nah, Steve's never been one to give in to fear and he'd sure as hell have said something if it was a moral thing. 

He knows it ain't the gay thing. Steve had kissed _him_ first and there had been some mumbled talking about slipping away from the double dates Bucky set him up on for something sweet and desperate in a back alley with a guy he'd pretend not to know if they met each other in broad day light.

Steve knows he's got to be confusing Tony. Knows that Tony has to be hurting but he doesn't know how to stop. Every time he lets Tony get close, let himself reach for Tony, kiss Tony, touch Tony, all he can think about is Peggy. Is Marco. Is Cecilia. Is Benny, Alejandro, Sarah, Katie and Brian. All the other people he had loved who had been hurt by him and lost. Hell, even Bucky, for all that Steve loved him as a brother and nothing like Tony or the others. 

Steve knows Tony can take care of himself, that Tony wants to take care of Steve despite his blatant inability to be even remotely subtle in his affections. Steve knows Tony'd give his all for nothing and it kills Steve that Tony is giving his all for Steve's nothing. 

Steve knows he loves Tony. It's a fact, like that Nat and Sam are his best friends and that he doesn't really connect with Dr. Banner as a person or that Tony is probably the one person who would understand why even though Steve considered Howard a friend he'd often wanted to kick his ass. 

Steve just doesn't think it's enough, doesn't think _he's_ enough and he never has been. But he's going to be selfish, just this once because it's _Tony_. And even though Tony deserves so much more, it's _Tony_ and Tony loves Steve despite everything. 

So Steve pulls himself away from the bed he's been sitting on for more or less the past three days straight. He closes the notepad where he's been drawing everything he's ever regretted and switches on the lights. He puts himself through a shower and a change of clothes. Makes himself food and eats it even as he knows he's stalling. He calls J.A.R.V.I.S. and gets Tony's location.

Steve stands outside the research lab for a long time, dithering over whether to go inside or not. It's decided for him when three lab techs come scurrying out followed by the sounds of AC/DC and a minor explosion that propels Tony the last few feet out the door and into Steve's arms. 

Tony, when he catches his breath and finishes yelling for the fire suppression system and checking his scientists are okay, sends everyone home with paid time off. Then he looks up at Steve, hopeful but with a small tinge of resignation, and asks “Dinner?”

It hurts Steve to see the resignation, to know that Tony expects to be turned down again even though Steve started it all. 

So Steve takes Tony's hand and kisses it. Murmurs “my treat” and prays that Tony can keep holding on a little longer, because he doesn't know what he'd do if he lost Tony on top of everyone else.


End file.
